Internal combustion engine



JUYM, 1931- R. w. BAILEY Y INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE WITNESS INVENTOZ v n BY G. mami-va ATTRNEY f July 14,1931. R. w. BAILEY 1,814,781

INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 3, 1928 f 4=,Sl1eek.s-Sheel 3 s e t"19'" 1 l l ey n X BY MI ATTORNEY July 14, 1931.

R". W. BAILEY INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed May 3, 1928 4Sheets-Sheet ,4

Fal.

INVENTOR. llnwadq ATTORNEY WITNESS 5.

Patented July 14, 1931 UNITED sTATESj PATENT I oli-FICE RICHARD -WILLIAMBAILEY, 0F ALTRJiIll'CHAIVl,A ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE AS- SIGNMENTS,T0 ASSOCIATED ELECTRICAL INDUSTRIES, LTD., OFVENGLAND i INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINE Application ledlay 3, 1928, Serial No. 274,915, andin- Great Britain Hay 41, 1927.

The present invention relates generally to internal combustion engines,by which term is included any power plantwherein -fuel is burnt in asuitable atmosphere vand work is done as a result of the expansion ofthe products of combustion. In all such plants high gas temperatures areattained by combustion and an appreciable amount of heat is transmittedto the walls or surfaces enclosing the gas. This transference of heatrisin most cases undesirable and .necessitates the employment yoif anartificial cooling system to maintain the walls or surfaces atapracticable working temperature and in some cases the heat 4sotransferred and dissipated through the cooling system is lost to'furtheremployment. The object Vof the present invention is to reduce thesedisadvantages and to provide an improved method and means 'formaintaining the walls of the combustion chamber relatively cool and atthe same time conserve the heat energy available in the combustiongases.

The invention consists broadlyin protecting the whole or a portion ofthe surface of y the containing ywall of a combustion chamber againstdirect reception of the heat of combustionfby means of a screen or shellsuitably supported by or near or formed integrally with the containingwall. Exceptv for the limited areanecessary "for the support of suchscreen or shell from or against the con-,

taining wall or surface 'there is no contact` be- Y tween these partsbut a space is formed thereyas between whichl is'placed in freecommunication with the combustion space proper by means of suitableperforations lof the shell or otherwise as may be found convenient.

By this .arrangement the .screen or shell receives the whole, or thegreater part of the heat that. would otherwise be transmitted 'direct tothe ycontaining wall, and the latter where so protected only receivesthe heat ycommunicated by the shell, or such as is communicated theretoby the gas between the shell and the-wall.

The various features of the invention, includlng a number ofconstructional forms 1n which the invention may be carried into practiceare hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawingsillustrat-ing same, wherein Figs. 1 and 2 show the invention applied toa cylinder and piston according tol one construction, Fig. 1 being asectional elevation corresponding to line I-I of Fig.

2,;and Fig. 2 being a sectional plan corresponding to line II-#IIfofFig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing a'portion vof the shell employed toscreen the cylinder wall in Fig. 1; p

Fig. 4 is a detail view showing an alternative ormwhich such shell maytake;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are respectively a plan and sections on lines VI-VlandVII-VII of Fig. 5 showing constructions according to'the inventionapplied to the top of a piston, the right-hand half of each fi ureillustrating one construction andthe le -hand lhalf an other Figs. 8 to11 show details to a somewhat enlarged scale;

Fig. 12 shows a portion of a cylinder and `valve according to furthermodification;

Fig. 13 represents a section on line XIII-XIII of Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is an inverted plan view of the valve head portion shown in Fig.12; Fig. 15 is a sectional elevation showing the invention lapplied to acylinder and vvalve according to a furtherv modified construction# i lFig.l16 is an inverted plan view of the valveh'ead shown in Fig. 15;

Figs. 17 and 18 are sectional elevations showing furthermodifiedconstructions acof the cylinder Wall uncovered by the piston lduring theportion of the stroke in which combustion normally occurs.

The wall 1 is formed with annular recesses 4 behind the shell 3, ribs 5projecting between said recesses and providing an abutment against whichthe outer circumferential surface of the shell may rest. The shell isformed with a number of slots 6, as indicated more clearly by thefragment shown in Fig. 3, and is clamped Vat one end in a groove betweenthev cover portion 2 and the barrel portion 7 of the cylinder; Theinternal diameter of the shell 3 is such as just to clear the sides ofthe piston 8, which when at the to of the stroke extends .within saidshell, rubbing contact of the piston with the walls of the cylinderoccurrin only between the lower barrel portion of t e cylinder and thelower portion of the piston carrying the piston rings 9.

In the construction shown, the cylinder 1 portion 2 carries an overheadexhaustvalve V10, fuel injecting device 11 and lateral air inlet valves12, 13, for which latter the shell 3 is suitably interru ted. Theparticular arrangement of the va ves is inmaterial to the presentinvention.

The top surface of the piston is also provided with a shield or screencomprising -strips 14 of T-shaped cross section and the webs of theT-pieces are` dovetailed into grooves formedin the piston, as shown mostclearly in Fig. 1. The flange portions 15 of the strips extend paralleland close to the surface of the piston so asl to leave narrow spaces orpockets 16 therebetween, the

narrow passages 17 left between the flanges of adjacent strips affordingcommunication between the spaces 15 and the interior of the combustionchamber 18.

With such a construction, during the compression stroke of the piston8,V a charge of relatively cool gas previously admitted to the cylinderis compressed, some of said gas being forced through slots 6 and 17 intothe pockets or recesses 4, 16 behind the shell 3 and the flanges 15 ofstrips 14 respectively. Said shell and strips, which cover a substantialportion of the containing walls of the combustion chamber are thereforeexosed to relatively cool gas on both sides. pon the combustion orexplosion of the compressed charge in the combustion space 18,

and during the initial portion of the down- 1 Ward stroke of the piston,heat which would i 6, 17 into the main combustion space, tendingnormally be transmitted directly to the walls of the combustion chamberis taken up by the shell 3 and flanges 15. During the expansion of theburnt gases which immediately follows, the gas in the pockets orrecesses 4, 16, expands and part flows back through slots to carry withit heat from the shell or screen.

The fall in pressure of said vgas may be ac-v companied by acorresponding fall in temperature which further assists in cooling thescreen and cylinder walls. Moreover the gas in the pockets or recessesforms in effect an insulating blanket between the shell or screen andthe adjacent portions of the containing wall of the cylinder (includingthe top of iston 8) and heat can only be conducte to these portionsrelatively slowly throu h the small cross-sections of metal presented ythe webs of strips 14 and the ribs 5 and other parts where the lshell 3touches the cylinder wall 1. The cooling action is continued by a freshcharge of air or other gas entering the cylinder during the subsequentscavenging and/or suction eriods of the cycle and the events describeabove are repeated.

It will be readily appreciated from the foregoing that by measures suchas described above the transfer to the containing walls of the cylinderof heat developed throughout the combustion cycle may be greatlyrestricted. Since a very large roportion of the heat normally impartedto t e cylinder walls and carried away by the circulating water or airis given up to the walls in the region of the upper third of thecylinder barrel and tosthe cylinder and piston heads, it will beapparent that the invention may lead to a considerticularly advantageousin power plant wherein special provision is made forthe ellicientutilization of the heat energy available to the gases, as for-example inplant such as referred to in the specifica-tions of Letters Patent Nos.232,278, 244,215 and 245,541. i

lVater cooling of the cylinder walls may be rendered unnecessary,orwater cooling may be retained and the maximum temperatures obtainingin the combustion chamber ma be increased to the limit at which the shel3, screen members 14, or the cylinder head and valves are liable todeterioration, these parts being preferably made of materials havingparticularly high heat resisting pro rties such as for example alloys ofnickel an chromium or iron with various additions of nickel, chromium ortungsten.

In cases where high working temperatures are aimed-at it may beadvantageous to provide screen devices also for the cylinder head andvalves and certain ways in which this may be done are hereinafterrendered apparent.

It ma?)7 be noted with respect to Figs. 1 and 2 that t e shell 3 and itsscreen members 14 are arranged so as to permit of expansion orcontraction due totemperature variations. The shell 3 can expand orcontract freely in the axial direction,as it is clamped at one end onland the slots 6 therein im "art s'uiiicient e asticity to accommodateistortion due to differential expansion of the shell and wall 1. Insteadof providing ribs 5 upon the cylinder wall to support the shell 3, ribsor cated by dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2) or otherwise in anyconvenient manner permittin Y longitudinal expansion of said strips.

f desired, a portion of the cylinder head may beleft unprotected by'ascreen, for example that portion within the circle indicated by dottedlines 21 in Fig. 2. Such portion of the cylinder head will be preferablyraised to or above the level of the top of the strips 14 which cover theremainder ofthe surface and would of course be highly heated,

`the plates 23a may be transmitted to the as in a normal engine.

Further convenient constructions which may be employed `for screeningthe piston head are shown in Figs. 5,-11 and the application of these orsimilar constructions to the whole of the upper part of the cylinder areillustrated in Figs. 12, 13, 15 and 17.

In the construction shown by the left-handy portion of Figs. 5-7 thepiston 8a is formed with T-shaped grooves 22 and a number of platesl 23of substantially C-shaped cross sectionare provided, adapted to engagethe shoulder portions of adjacent grooves 22, as shown most clearly linFig. 6, a space 25 being left between the bod portion of each plate 23and the surface o the piston. In mounting theplates 23 the inturned endsthereof are insertedV in the appropriate grooves 22 at one end and theplates are slid along into the desired position in which they are thensecured bythe insertion of caulkingpieces 24. The klatter are preferablycaulked so as to engage the plates .23 firmly overa relatively smallareaonly, thereby permitting ready expansion of said plates whennecessary.

If desired, a single caulking Astrip may serve to sec-urea pluralityof pates in each groove, but preferably short pieces are emy p`l1o'yed,for.kexample, as shown in Fig.f8 or l, fg. 9. Fig.` 8, which represents aplan view of ltvi/ojadja'c'entfplates 23, .a small T- shaped caulkingpiece24a is located centrally.v 3 betweenlthe platesand'caulked inposition.

Figli) represents apla-nfof a modified caulking piece, the cross sectionof whichy is someL vwhat thickened at the medial portion24b` so astoaiord a4 driving yitwith the plates` 23 v when inserted in position." lAlternatively go'r` vin addition the plates 2,3 may be cut away 4 at theparts which enter the grooves 22, as in-v dicated bytheside elevation,Fig. 10, such,

constructionpermitting ready expansion of the plates longitudinally andalso serving to limit still-further the cross section'of metal throughwhich heat may be conducted into the .wall carrying said plates. For thelatter pur- .Instead of being plane as shown, the screening surfaces ofthe plates 23 may be concave or convex as desired.

In the modified construction illustrated by the right-hand side of Figs.5-7 grooves 27 the bottom portions of which are of cylindrical form areformed in the top of the piston to receive thecorrespondingly shapedlimbs of plates 23a which when in position are locked by the insertionof cylindrical locking pins 28. If desired, plain pins may be employedfor this purpose, but in the construction shown the pins have enlargedportions 28a (Fig. 7)l which lit the sides of grooves 27, while the twoend portions of said pins engage the limbsof adjacent plates 23a.Byf-"this arrangement forces acting upon piston through the intermediaryof pins 2 8 instead of directly through the extremities of the plates,which wouldbe more liable to `may be of a similar size, with theexception 'of t-hose adjacent the sides of the piston whichmust be ofspecial form. The plates may be provided with additional apertures sucas 30 (Fig. 5..) to permit the gas to flow over the upper and lowersurfaces thereot` in the desired manner. If desired, a number of platessuch as 23a could be formed integrally by suitably bending a singlestrip so as to lextend within a plurality o grooves f 27 and receivelockingpins 28.

Similar' `constructions may be employed for-screening the side walls andhead of the combustion chamber. i For example, as shown in Figs. 12'and13 the cylinder head or cover -portion 31 may be tapered somewhattowards a central exhaust valve 40 and formed with annular grooves33,while the parallel-cylinf vdri'cal portion is formed with grooves 34parallel vtothe longitudinal yaxis of the cylinder. The grooves33, 34are similar to grooves 22 (Fig. 6) and-adapted to receive plates 35 andca ulking pieces 360i asimilar constructionto those previously describedwith reference to the left-hand side of Figs. 5-7. The

plates 35 for screening the tapered or conical .portion of the cylinderhead maybe inserted in position by passing them through the 1nlet portwhich is not shown in Fig. 12 but is similarly diposed to the inlet port37 shown i in Fig. 15. The upper ring of plates l35 is sha ed to engagea groove 38 formed in the cylinder hcad, while the ring of plates at thebottom of the conical portion rest with their lower ends against a ring39 on the inside and against the backs of the upper ends of the firstrow of plates 35 shielding the cylindricalportion. last mentioned platesare inserted endwise into the appropriate slots 34 and slid intoposition in the longitudinal direction of the cylinder. The caulkingpieces are inserted at the same time as the corresponding plates 35 andthe latter are finally firmly secured in position by caulking.

Fig. 12 also shows an arrangement for screening the head of thevalve-32, namely, by a provision of a suitable-number of sectorshapedplates 41 which at their outer peripheries engage a groove 42 formed inthe valve head and at their inner peripheries are engaged by a cap 43screwed upon the valve. The plates 41 areformed with suitable slots 44and are supported intermediately by a rib or abutment 45. The protectiveaction of the screening members 41 and 35 is similar to that of thescreen 3 and members 14 previously described. Y

Fig. 15 shows a further modified construction wherein T-shaped groovesare formed in the cylinder walls to receive the plates comprisino thescreen. In this construction the conical portion of the cylinder head islined with plates in a similar manner to that described above withreference to Fig. 12, whileY the parallel portion of the cylinder wallformed with a helical groove 46 of 'lf-shaped cross section, along.which the correspondingly shaped plates for screening said wall and theappropriate caulking pieces are threaded; The continuation of thegrooves 46 on the opposite portion of the cylinder wall to that shown isillustrated by dotted lines, said groove terminating in a recess 47 overwhich a screen plate of convenient form may be afixed.

Fig. 15 also shows an alternative method of screening the exhaust valve40 disposed in the top of the cylinder, which construction may moreoverbe readily applied to the inlet valve 37 if desired. The valve head 40is bored centrally and formed with an internal groove 48 extending overthe major portion of said valve head so as to leave a thin platelikeportion 49 adapted to serve as a screen for the valve. The portion 49 isprovided with slots 50 and may also be formed with perforations 51, andbeneath the inner ends of the sector-shaped portions which remainbetween slots 50 is inserted a washer52, said ends being then lightlyclamped upon said washer by means of aplug 53 screwed in to the valve.The plug 53 is prevented from rotating by means of a pin 53 passing intothe valve 40 and screwed and riveted into said plug whereby theconstruction is rendered rigid. It is evident that the body of the valve40 will be screened to a considerable extent by the portions 49, heatbeing conducted into said valve only through the plug 53 and washer 52and the restricted marginal portions 54, where the portions 49 join thebody portion of valve 40.

A further modified construction is shown in Figs. 17 and 19 where amethod of assembly similar to that shown on the right-hand side of Figs.5-7 is employed. In this construction the conical portion of thecylinder head is lined with a plurality of shell members 55 which areengaged at their upper ends in an annular groove 56 formed in thecylinder head, and are provided with ribs 57 adapted to rest against thecylinder wall. The shell member 55, adjacent the inlet valve 38,is'suitably apertured and formed so as not to interfere with the actionof said valve. The cylindrical portions of the walls of the cylinderhead portion shown are lined with screen members 59 which are secured bypins 60 in grooves 61 formed in said walls parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the cylinder, said pins being retained in position by screwplugs 62. The construction is rendered rigid by welding the lower edgesof the conical shell portions 55 to the upper edges of the upper row ofscreen members 59. The screen or shell serves to protect the wall of thecylinder in a substantially similar manner to those previouslydescribed, and it may be noted that the ribs 57 not only serve tosupport the shell 55 intermediately but also prevent the flow of gasbehind the screen from one zone of the cylinder to another.

It will be apparent that the heads of th pistons employed with.cylinders having cover portions 'of the `forms shown in Figs. 12, 15 or17 vmay be suitably shaped to a'ord the desirednclearance volume at theend of the compression stroke and may be screened by means such asdescribed above or in any other convenient:y manner.

Fig. 18 shows a construction in which the cylinder walls are screened bymembers 63 formed integral with said wall. In this con- -structionoverhead valve ports 64 are shown disposedin the upper wall of thecylinder,

and the upper portion 65 of .the piston 66 is formed of somewhat reduceddiameter so as .to extend within the combustion space surrounded byscreen members 63 without making rubbing contact therewith.

Further constructions for screening thethemselves constitute thegas-tight cylinder` wall when clamped ytogether or may be containedwithin an outer wall 73. Fig. 21 illustrates a .somewhat similarconstruction wherein the screen portions 74rare formed separately andappropriately secured in grooves 1n the ring members 7 5, the latter-being clampedftogether. The members 71, 75, which constitute theprotective `screen 'for the cylinder wall atl1 ord a relatively smallcross-section at the web portions thereof for the conduction of heat tosaid wall and this cross may be further reduced if desired by theprovision of apertures in said web portions. Three further modified f sin which the invention may be applied are indicated by way of exampleFigs. 22, and 24. In Fig. a construction is shown which does notnecessitate endwse insertion of the screen plates. "ilbe surface "'Ztobe protected is prof vided with grooves 77 and inset pieces 78 securedin plates 79 having the form shown are inserted with their downwardlybent tongues 8() beneath the shoulders the inset pieces 78 the other endet id plates entering the grooves 77., TV two adiacent plates have beenthus placed i position a caulking piece Si appiied their ends in theVgroore 77 and canlleo. securely position shown. IWith this arrangementthe screen plates are free to .pand or contract laterally? and ifdesired the inset pieces 78 may be ardened te withstand any weeroccasioned by movement of the tongues 80. The plates 79 may be providedwith such apertures as maybe desirable.

l'ig. 23 shows a screen member 82 substantially similar to strips lashown in Fig. 1, but hai7` he marginal edges turned down to alierdadditional support. The member d2 would be suitably apertured.

24 shows simple construction in which tb depending side portions 83, ofthe are corrugated and engage grooves 84. A Wted between the ambo' andthe 'latter tion by ea lking.

ylir i" or other .sulating material ned as above de .ing e surfacesmember ing may bi: inserted p ineen the vreemd portions bi cylin an the-inscreened portions lin order prevent air er gin-icons mixture takingup too milch. heat a 3 entry to the combustion chamg the induction.stroke or to prevent mixture passing behind the screen such as .would beliable to use combustion or eX- plosions to occur the recesses orpockets, each incsming charge may be guided by the valve or .iy bes asbe found desirable 5F .also it; for any reason, conditions should anysuitable manner.. Screen exist such that the mean temperature of the gasin any pocket behind a screen is greater than the mean temperature ofthe adjacent surface of the screen, such surface may be serrated orroughened so that the screen tends to take up heat from the gas in thepocket more readily than they adjacent portions of the cylinder wall orother part in which the pocket is formed.

Moreover, while in the above description the screening of the portion ofthe cylinder adjacent the head has been particularly referred to, itwill be evident that the invention may be applied to the medial portionof the cylinder barrel in the case of an engine of the opposed pistontype.

l/Vhile I have shown my invention in several forms, it will be obviousto those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but issusceptible of various other changes and modiications, Without departingfrom the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only suchlimitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art oras are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. In internal combustion engine, the combination of a combustionchamber having a solid interior surface, a thin metallic plate structuredisposed closely adjacent to and parallel with said combustion surface,and means for supporting the plate structure from the surface of thecombustion chamber and providing for minimum heat conduction between thecombustion chamber surface and the plate structure, said plate structurehaving a plurality of openings distributed thereover so as to affordfree circulation of gas between the combustion chamber on the one sideof the plate structure and the space intervening between the other sideof the plate structure and the adjacent surface of the combustionchamber.

An internal combustion engine as claimed claim 1 wherein the platestructurel supporting means is formed to afford linear expansion andcontraction of the plate member relative to its supporting surface.

3. In an internal combustion engine, the `emrriiiination of a cylinderhaving a head portion and a piston reciprocable within. the cylindertoward and away'fro'm the head portion, said cylinder havin a wallsurface forming With the head sur ace of the piston a combustionchambens thin metallic plate structure disposed closely vadjacent to andparallel with the combustion chamber wall surface of the cylinder, andmeans for supporting the plate structure from the combustion chamberwall surface of the cylinder and providing for minimum heat conductionbetween the plate structure and its supporting surface, said platestructure having a plurality of openings distributed thereover so as toaord free circulation of gas between the'combustion' chamber on the oneside of the plate structure and the space intervening between the otherside of the plate structure and its supporting surface.

4. In an internal combustion engine, the combination cfa cylinder havinga head portion and a piston reciprocable within the cylinder toward andaway from the head portion and deiining therewith a combustion chamber,a thin metallic plate structure disposed closely adjacent to andparallel with the circular head surface of the piston, and means forsupporting the plate structure from the head surface of the piston andproviding for minimum heat conduction between the plate structure andits supporting surface, said plate struct-ure having a plurality ofopenings distributed thereover so as to afford free circulation of gasbetween the combustion chamber on the one side of the plate structureand the space intervening between the other side ot the plate structureand the adjacent supporting surface.

5. In an internal combustion engine, the combination of a cylinderhaving a head -portion and a piston reciprocable within the cylindertoward and away from the head portion and defining therewith acombustion chamber having an interior, cylindrical wall surface, a thinmetallic plate structure disposed closely adjacent to and parallel withthe cylindrical wall surface of the combustion chamber, a second thinmetallic plate structure disposed closely adjacent to and parallel withthe circular head surface of the piston, and means for supporting thelate structures, respectively, from the cylin rical wall surface ofthecombustion chamber and from the circular head surface of the piston,said supporting means providing for mini mum heat conduction between theplate structures and their supportingsurfaces and said plate structureshaving a plurality of openings distributed thereover so as to aord freecirculation of gas: between the combustion chamber on the one side'ofiplate structures' and the spaces intervening between the other side ofthe plate structures and their adjacent supporting surfaces.

6. An engine as claimed in claim 5 `wherein the' plate structuresupporting meansgare formed to provide linear expansion of therespective plate members relative to their supporting surfaces. Y '2 i7. In an internal combustion engineythe the combination of a cylinderhaving ahead portion and a piston reciprocable within'the cylindertoward and away from the head portion and defining therewith acombustion chamber having an interior, cylindrical wall surface, a thinmetallic plate structure disposed closely adjacent to and parallel withthe cylindrical wall surface of the combustion chamber, a cylindricalhead port-ion provided on the piston and movable into and out of saidplate structure, a second thin metallic plate structure disposed closelyadjacent to and parallel with the circular end surface of the headportion of the piston, and means for supporting the plate structures,

respectively, from the cylindrical wall sur- .as to afford freecirculation rof gas between the combustion chamber on the one side ofthe plate structures and the spaces intervening between the vother sideof the plate structures and their adjacent supporting surfaces.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 23rd dayof April, 1928.

l RICHARD WILLIAM BAILEY.

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